Failure indicating circuit for salve driven unit



y 1963 R. J. KRAGLE 33 FAILURE INDICATING CIRCUIT FOR SLAVE DRIVEN UNIT Filed June 29, 1960 United States Patent 'ice Ramo Wooldridge Inc, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 29, 1960, Ser. No. 39,700 Claims. (Cl. 318-467) This invention relates to a failure indicating circuit and particularly to such a circuit for a slave driven unit.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a reliable failure indicating circuit of maximum simplicity.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a failure indicating circuit for a slave driven unit wherein the failure indicating circuit operates over the same connecting wires which connect the slave circuit with the master control circuit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel coaxial switch positioning system wherein switch position is selected at a remote station.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a remotely controlled coaxial switch system which will give a fiailure indication art the control station and which system utilizes a minimum number of wires for coupling the control station with the coaxial switch actuating circuit.

Another object is to provide novel means for synchronizing the position of indexing mechanism at a control station with the position of the coaxial switch rotor being controlled from said station and for indicating when synchronization has been achieved.

Other important objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

The single FIGURE shows [a diagrammatic illustration of the present invention as applied to the remote control of a coaxial switch.

As shown on (the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment, a coaxial switch 10 has a rotor member 11 which is to be selectively moved to a plurality of switching positions. By way of example, there may be 12 switching positions separated by 30 degrees, and in the illustrated embodiment the circuit connections for four successive ones of such positions have been illustrated. The rotor 11 is to be moved to the selected position by means or a rotary solenoid 13 of conventional construction which is coupled to the shaft 14 of rotor 11 by means of a suitable set of driving jaws 15 and 16 which in the illustrated embodiment cooperrate to rotate the rotor shafit 14 through 30 degrees in each actuation of the solenoid 13. The rotary solenoid may be of the conventional type illustrated in Schunemann and Thoren U.S. Patent No. 2,840,786 and may include an armature 20 which is shifted to the right as seen in the drawings each time the solenoid 13 is energized. Ball means such as indicated at 21 and 22 cooperate with a cam plate 24 secured for movement with the armature 20 to cause the armature and the driving jaw 15 connected therewith to rotate as the armature 20 is projected from the solenoid 13. The parts are so arranged that upon each energization of the solenoid 13, the driving jaw 15 is moved into engagement with the driving jaw 16 and rotated an angular distance of 30 degrees. An

I interrupter mechanism is conventionally associated with such a rotary solenoid and may comprise an interrupter arm 30 mounted for movement with the driving jaw 15 and arranged after completion of 30 degrees of rotalion to actuate a switch arm 31 to open switch contacts 32 and 33. In the present embodiment, it is important 3,091,333 Patented July 9, 1963 that the interrupter mechanism 30, 31 open contacts 32 and 33 only after the driving jaw 15 substantially completes its driving stroke. Spring means are diagrammatically indicated at 34 for urging the cam plate 24 to the lefit as seen in the drawing to return the armature 20 and driving jaw 15 to their original angular and axial positions after each energization of the solenoid 13. The switch contacts 32, 33 of course, return to closed position as soon as the solenoid 13 is deene-rgized and the driving jaw 15 and interrupter arm 30 begin to return to initial position. By way of example only, arm 30 may be positioned at the outer periphery of circular flange 38 and may travel downwardly and inwardly (into the plane of the drawing). The arm 30 engages the switch arm 31 at the end of its stroke to press the arm 31 down wardly. The arm 30 has sufliclent arcuate extent to maintain its contact with arm 31 during the remainder of its stroke. The final position of arms 30 and 31 and contact 32 are indicated in dotted outline at 30a, 31a and 32a. Suitable means may be provided (not shown) for guiding the vertical reciprocation of arm 31 and for resiliently returning contact 32 and arm 31 to their initial positions as arm 30 is returned to its original position by spring 34 after deenergization of solenoid 13.

Any suitable detent means such as diagrammatically indicated at 40 may be utilized on the rotor shaft 14 to insure that the rotor 11 is precisely positioned in each successive switching orientation. A twelve position detent mechanism for the rotor shaft is illustrated in said Schunemann and Thoren Patent No. 2,840,786.

For driving the coaxial switch actuating system designated generally by the reference numeral 50 as a slave unit from a remote master station indicated generally at 51, a master solenoid 54- is provided which may have the same construction as the solenoid 13 including a cam plate 55 cooperating with ball means such 56 and 57 to translate axial projection of the armature shaft 60 into rotation thereof, the rotational movement of driving jaw 61 on shaft 60 being transmitted to driving jaw 62 and shaft 63. Shafit 63 may have a suitable detent means 65 similar to the detent means 40 and may carry wafer switch means 67 and 69 including conductive rotors 70 and 71 and stationary contacts a, b, c and d and a, b, c' and a" respectively. A ground is continuously supplied to the conductive rotor 71 by means of line and sliding contact 81 which continuously engages rotor 71. A sliding contact 33 makes continuous contact with the conductive rot-or disk 70. Push buttons A, B, C "and D connect positive line voltage from supply line 84 through line 86 to the respective contacts a, b, c and d of disk '70. Line 84 also supplies positive potential through resistor 87 to indicator lamps A, B, C and D' whose other terminals are connected to contacts a, b, c and d of conductive disk 71. With the coaxial switch in :lhe position shown, lamp A will be lit to indicate that the rotor is in what may be termed the A position where cut-away portion 88 of disk 70 isolates contact a and the projection 89 from conductive disk 71 engages the contact a to supply ground firom line 80 to the upper terminal of lamp A.

Only two wires indicated at 90 and 91 plus a ground connect-ion (indicated diagrammatically by line 92) are required to connect the master control circuit 51 with the actuated slave circuit 50' as will be apparent from the following description of the operation of the illustrated system.

If it is desired to move the rotor 11 'from the A position shown to a position such as B, C or D, the corresponding pushbutton B, C or D is depressed momentarily to energize the relay 95. For example, if pushbutton B is depressed, relay 95 is energized by completion of an electric circuit extending from line 84 of positive polarity,

through pushbutton B, contact [7, disk 70, contact 83, line 96, interrupter contacts 99, 100, line 101, line 102, and the energizing coil of relay 95 to ground. Energization of relay 95 closes relay contact 104 and this causes energization of solenoid 54 from line 101 through rectifier 105, line 106, solenoid 54, line 107, contact 104 and line 108 to ground. Energization of solenoid 54 shifts armature shaft 60 to the right and cam plate 55 cooperating with balls 56 and 57 rotates the shaft 60 as it is driven axially. This produces a 30 rotation of driving jaw 62 and shaft 63 in the clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 109. When the driving jaw 61 has rotated through substantially 30, interrupter arm 110 will have travelled arcuately downwardly substantially 30 to the position indicated at 110a to engage interrupter arm 111 and open contact 99 to deenerg-ize solenoid 54 and relay 95.

Actuation of pushbutton B also energizes latching relay 113 to energize solenoid 13, The energizing circuit for relay 113 extends from line 101 through rectifier 105, line 114, line 115, contact 116 of synchronizing pushbutton 117, line 90, latch coil of relay 113, line 118 and line 92 to ground. Closure of relay contact 120 of relay 113 energizes solenoid 13 by applying positive polarity voltage from conductor 90 through contact 120 and line 122 to one terminal of solenoid 13, the other terminal being grounded by line 92.

Latching relay 130 is not energized by closure of contact 131 of relay 13 during normal operation since the relay is so polarized as to be latched only when a negative polarity voltage is applied to line 132 with line 133 grounded. Relay 130 is unlatched when a positive pclarity voltage is applied to line 132 with line 133 grounded. Since pushbutton B applies a positive voltage to line 132 of relay 130 via line 90, line 135, line 136, and interrupter contacts 32 and 33, the relay remains unlatched.

When interrupter contact 99 is opened, solenoid 13 is deenergized and produces an electromotive force of polarity to apply a negative voltage to line 122 relative to line 92 which is a function of the inductance of the solenoid 13 and the rate of change of current therein when the interrupter contacts 99 and 100 are opened. This induced electromotive force applies a negative polarity to the upper terminal of relay 113 via line 122 and contact 120 unlatching the relay.

If, for any reason, driving jaw 15 has failed to rotate the required 30 while solenoid 13 is energized, contacts 32, 33 will not have opened and the induced electrometive force due to deenergization of solenoid 13 will latch failure indicating latching relay 130 from line 122 through contact 120, line 90, line 135, line 136, interrupter contacts 32, 33 and the line 132 to the lower terminal of latching relay 130, the upper terminal of latching relay 130 being connected to line 92 through line 133 and contact 131. The characteristics of relay 113 and the associated circuitry are such as to insure that relay 130 is latched before the induced electrornotive force from solenoid 13 is effective to unlatch relay 113.

Thus, in the event of a failure of the solenoid 13 to execute a driving stroke of 30, relay 130 is latched to apply a ground from line 92 through solenoid 13, line 122, contact 140 of latching relay 130, line 135, line 90, lines 115 and 114 and through each of rectifiers 144, 145, 146 and 147 to energize each of lamps A, B, C and D. Thus, the simultaneous lighting of all of the coaxial switch position indicating lamps signals a failure in the operation of the system.

It will, of course, be understood that the characteristics of the interrupter switch 32, 33 and solenoid 13 are such that the switch will normally remain open until the induced from solenoid 13 has unlatched relay 113. After this, of course, spring 34 returns jaw 15 to its initial position and allows contacts 32, 33 to reclose. On the other hand, if the contacts 32, 33 are still closed at the time of deenergization of solenoid 13, latching relay 130 will be energized and latched before the electromotive force from the solenoid 13 has taken effect to unlatch the relay 113.

It will be understood that the failure indication is achieved over the same two lines 92 which are used to couple the control system 51 with the slave circuit 50, thus providing maximum simplicity and reliability in the operation of the failure indicating circuit.

The switch 117 is normally maintained in its upper position as shown in the drawings by means of a corn pression spring 150 and may be depressed manually to apply a positive actuating voltage to line 90 via lines 36 and 151 and contact 152 of the pushbutton 117 to step the coaxial switch rotor 11, in case the master indexing mechanism 67, 69 of the master circuit 51 is out of correspondence with the actual position of rotor 11 of coaxial switch 10. To signal the correspondence in angular positions of the master circuit 51 and slave circuit 50, a conductive disk 160 is secured to shaft 14 of rotor 11 and has a conductive contact 161 movable therewith which is adapted to engage a stationary contact 162 when the switch rotor 11 is in the A position shown in the drawings. Whenever rotor 11 is in the position shown in the drawings, ground is applied from line 92 over line 163 to contact 162 and through disk 160 to stationary continuous contact 165 and then via line 91 to an auxiliary A position lamp A to energize the lamp A. Similarly, when the master control mechanism 51 is in the A position, lamp A will be energized. When both lamps A and A" are lit, the master control circuit 51 is in angular correspondence with the slave circuit 511. if lamp A is lit, but lamp A" is not lit, pushbutton 117 is actuated repeatedly until the lamp A" lights indicating that the switch rotor 11 is in the corresponding angular position.

Summary of Operation Summarizing the operation of the device, to move the coaxial switch rotor 11 to a new position, the corresponding pushbutton B, C or D, for example, is held depressed until the corresponding position indicating lamp such as B, C or D is lit indicating that the rotor 11 has moved to the selected position. If, however, in any of the successive actuations of the slave solenoid 13, its driving jaw 15 fails to complete the required 30 driving stroke, switch contacts .32, 33 remain closed, and upon deenergization of solenoid 13 by opening of interrupter contacts 99, 101} associated with master solenoid 54, an is generated by solenoid 13 of polarity to apply a negative voltage to line 122 relative to grounded line 92 which energizes latching relay 130 through the circuit from line 122, through line 170, contact of latching relay 113, line 171, line 90, line 135, line 136, contacts 32, 33 and line 132 to'the lower terminal of latching relay and from the upper terminal of latching relay 130 through line 133, relay contact 131 to line 92. This latching of relay 130 will occur before contacts 120 and 131 of latching relay 113 open because the unlatching current for relay 113 is generated by the from solenoid 13. When latching relay 130 is latched indicating a fault, a ground is applied from line 92 through solenoid 13, line 122, contact of relay 130, line 135, line 90, line 115, and line 114, and through rectifiers 1-14147 to light all of lamps A, B, C and D indicating a failure. In normal operation, latching relay 130 is not latched because the polarity of applied voltage at line 132 is positive and is that operative for unlatching relay but opposite to that required for latching of relay It will be apparent that many modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an actuating electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave unit to execute successive incremental movements, electrical-1y energized failure signalling means operatively associated with said slave driven unit and controlling actuation of said failure indicating means at said remote control station, and means responsive to a failure of said slave driven unit for coupling said electrically energized failure signalling means to said actuating electromotive device for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by said actuating electromotive device upon deenergization thereof by said remote control station to actuate said failure indicating means at said remote control station.

2. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave unit to execute a predetermined movement, a remote control station for controlling energization of said electromagnetic device and having failure indicating means associated therewith, connecting conductor means linking said remote control station with said slave driven unit for supplying energizing current from said remote control station to said electromagnetic device, electrically energized failure signalling means controlling actuation of said failure indicating means at said remote control station 'via said connecting conductor means, and means responsive to a failure of said slave driven unit to execute said predetermined movement to couple said electrically energized failure signaling means (to said electromagnetic device, said electromagnetic device when deenergized by said remote control station generating an induced electromotive force capable of energizing said electrically energized failure signalling means to thereby actuate said failure indicating means at said remote control station in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit.

3. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave driven unit to execute successive incremental movements, said electromagnetic device being capable of generating a substantial induced electromotive force upon deenergization thereof, a remote control station for controlling energization of said electromagnetic device and having a failure indicating means associated therewith, switch means having normally closed contacts which are opened momentarily each time the electromagnetic device successfully completes an incremental actuation of said slave driven unit but which remain closed in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit to execute an incremental movement, electrically energized failure signalling means controlling actuation of said failure indicating means at said remote control station and connected with said electromagnetic device under the control of said normally closed contacts of said switch means for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by said electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof by said remote control station whereby if said normally closed contacts remain closed at the time of deenergization of said electromagnetic device said electrically energized failure signailing means actuates said failure indicating means at said remote control station.

4. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave driven unit to execute successive incremental movements, said electromagnetic device being capable of generating a substantial induced electromotive force upon deenergization thereof, a remote control station for controlling energization of said electromagnetic device and having failure indicating means associated therewith, switch means having normally closed contacts which are opened momentarily each time the electromagnetic device successfully completes an incremental actuation of said slave driven unit but which remain closed in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit to execute an incremental movement, electrically energized failure signalling means controlling actuation of said failure indicating means at said remote control station and connected with said electromagnetic device under the control of said normally closed contacts of said switch means for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by said electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof by said remote control station whereby if said normally closed contacts remain closed at the time of deenergization of said electromagnetic device said electrically energized failure signalling means actuates said failure indicating means at said remote control station, said electrically energized failure signalling means being polarity sensitive to re spond to a reverse current generated by said electromagnetic device while being insensitive to energizing current from the remote control station to said electromagnetic device for energizing said device.

5. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave driven unit to execute successive incremental movements, said electromagnetic device being capable of generating a substantial induced electromotive force upon deenergization thereof, a remote control station for controlling energization of said electromagnetic device and having failure indicating means associated therewith, switch means having normally closed contacts which are opened momentarily each time the electromagnetic device successfully completes an incremental actuation of said slave driven unit but which remain closed in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit to execute an incremental movement, electrically energized failure signalling means controlling actuation .of said failure indicating means at said remote control station and connected with said electromagnetic device under the control of said normally closed contacts of said switch means for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by said electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof by said remote control station whereby if said normally closed contacts remain closed as the time of deenergization of said electromagnetic device said electrically energized failure signalling means actuates said failure indicating means at said remote control station, said electromagnetic device comprising a rotary step-by-step solenoid having a driving clutch member normally rotatable through a predetermined arc during each energization of said solenoid, and said switch means being responsive to the successful completion of the arcuate travel of said clutch member to open said normally closed contacts and prevent energization of said electrically energized failure signalling means.

6. A remotely controlled actuating system comprising a slave driven unit having an electromagnetic device for energization to cause the slave driven unit to execute successive incremental movements, said electromagnetic device being capable of generating a substantial induced electromotive force upon deenergization thereof, -a remote control station for controlling energization of said electromagnetic device and having failure indicating means associated therewith, switch means having normally closed contacts which are opened momentarily each time the electromagnetic device successfully completes an incremental actuation of said slave driven unit but which remain closed in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit to execute an incremental movement, electrically energized failure signalling means controlling actuation of said failure indicating means at said remote control station and connected with said electromagnetic device under the control of said normally closed contacts of said switch means for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by said electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof by said remote control station whereby if said normally closed contacts remain closed at the time of deenergization of said electromagnetic device said electrically energized failure signalling means actuates said failure indicating means at said remote control station, said electromagnetic device comprising a rotary step-by-step solenoid having a driving clutch member normally rotatable through a predetermined arc during each energization of said solenoid, and said switch means being responsive to the successful completion of the arcuate travel of said clutch member to open said normally closed contacts and prevent energization of said electrically energized failure signalling means, said electrically energized failure signalling means comprising a latching relay which is latched in response to current flow produced by the induced electromotive force from the rotary solenoid and which is un'latched by current flow in the opposite direction for energizing said rotary solenoid.

7. A slave actuating system for control from a remote station comprising a slave driven unit including an electromagnetic device for energization from the remote station to execute a predetermined movement, electrically energized failure indicating means, and means for connecting said electrically energized failure indicating means with said electromagnetic device in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit to execute said predetermined movement when energized from the remote station for enerigization of the electrically energized failure indicating means by the induced electromotive force generated by the electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof.

8. A slave actuating system for control from a remote station comprising a slave driven unit including an electromagnetic device for energization from the remote station to execute successive incremental movements, switch means operatively associated with said slave driven unit and having normally closed contacts which are opened each time the slave unit successfully completes an incremental movement but which remain closed in the event of a failure of said slave driven unit, and polarity sensitive electrically "energized failure indicating means connected with said electromagnetic device under the control of said normally closed contacts for energization by the induced electromotive force generated by the electromagnetic device upon deenergization thereof in the event of a failure, said polarity sensitive failure indicating means being responsive to the polarity of the induced voltage generated by said electromagnetic device but being insensitive to the polarity of voltage applied to said electromagnetic device from the remote station.

9. A remote control system comprising acontrol station, a remote station remote from said control station, an electric switch at said remote station having a plurality of switching positions and having switch actuating means for shifting said switch between said switching positions, said control station having control means for energizing said switch actuating means to selectively move said switch to any one of said switching positions and having a plurality of indicators, conductor means extending between said control station and said remote station for connecting said control means with said switch actuating means, movable means at said control station coupled to said control means for actuation in synchronism with said switch actuating means to move to respective positions corresponding to the respective switching positions of said switch, said movable means having means for energizing respective ones of said indicators at respective positions of said movable means to indicate the position of said movable means and thereby the position of said switch in the absence of a failure, and means coupled to said switch actuating means and to said conductor means and responsive to a failure of said switch actuating means to transmit a failure indication to said control station v-ia said conductor means.

=10. A remote control system comprising a control station, a remote station remote from said control station, an electric switch at said remote station having a plurality of switching positions and having switch actuating means for shifting said switch between said switching positions, said control station having control means for energizing said switch actuating means to selectively move said switch to any one of said switching positions and having a plurality of indicators, conductor means extending between said control station and said remote station for connecting said control means with said switch actuating means, movable means at said control station coupled to said control means for actuation in synchronism with said switch actuating means to move to respective positions corresponding to the respective switching positions of said switch, said movable means having means for energizing respective ones of said indicators at respective positions of said movable means to indicate the position of said movable means and thereby the position of said switch in the absence of a failure, and means coupled to said switch actuating means and to a plurality of said indicators via said conductor means and responsive to a failure of said switch actuating means to energize said plurality of said indicators by means of current flow along said conductor means, thereby signalling that the movable means is out of synchronization with the switch.

Yardeny et al Nov. '18, 1947 Lohse et al Aug. 11, 1953 

1. A REMOTELY CONTROLLED ACTUATING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SLAVE DRIVEN UNIT HAVING AN ACTUATING ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE FOR ENERGIZATION TO CAUSE THE SLAVE UNIT OT EXECUTE SUCCESSIVE INCREMENTAL MOVEMENTS, ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED FAILUIRE SIGNALLING MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SLAVE DRIVEN UNIT AND CONTROLLING ACTUATION OF SAID FAILURE INDICATING MEANS AT SAID REMOTE CONTROL STATION, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A FAILURE OF SAID SLAVE DRIVEN UNIT FOR COUPLING SAID ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED FAILURE SINGALLING MEANS TO SAID ACTUATING ELECTROMOTIVE DEVICE FOR ENERGIZATION BY THE INDUCED ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE GENERATED BY SAID ACTUATING ELECTOMOTIVE DEVICE UPON DEENERGIZATIONN THEREOF BY SAID REMOTE CONTROL STATION TO ACTUATE SAID FAILURE INDICATING MEANS AT SAID REMOTE CONTROL STATION. 